National Club Final: Bramhall spring surprise

By Christopher Lyles at Lord's

10:39PM BST 06 Sep 2001

Bramhall (175-6) bt Bath (171) by 4 runs

BRAMHALL, who play in the second tier of the Cheshire League, caused an upset yesterday when they beat Bath, runners-up in 1998 and members of the West of England Premier League, by four runs in a keenly-contested final.

After slumping to 128 for eight, Bath still required 22 from two overs with their last pair at the wicket, a target which Grant Sheppard and Ian Shrubsole then reduced to five from the final ball.

If the scores had finished level Bramhall would have won, having lost fewer wickets. As it was, Charles Lamb bowled Shrubsole to finish with figures of three for 23.

Andy Hall picked up the man of the match award for a patient 53 in Bramhall's total of 175 from their 45 overs.

Ian Cockbain, Cheshire's captain, brings down the curtain on his Minor Counties career when he leads the Western Division winners in Sunday's championship play-off against Lincolnshire at Grantham, writes Mike Berry.

Cockbain, 43, who joined Cheshire from Lancashire in 1984 and was appointed captain in 1991, is retiring from county cricket at the end of the three-day title decider. Neil Cross, who misses the final with a broken thumb, Richard Hignett or Andrew Hall will succeed him.